1. Filed of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage case for a cartridge, a method of manufacturing the storage case and a cartridge encased in this storage case, and more particularly to a storage case for a cartridge which contains a recording medium such as an optical disk and a magneto-optical disk etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A disk portion defined as a recording medium of a mini disk, which has been used in recent years for applications such as record of music and storage of data etc, is stored in a resinous cartridge. FIGS. 12, 13 and 34A show one example of a mini disk M. FIG. 12 is a top view of the mini disk M. FIG. 13 is a bottom view thereof, and FIG. 34A is a perspective view thereof. A disk portion D taking a shape of disk is protected by a thin box-like cartridge C. Further, there is determined an inserting direction of the mini disk M into a receiving slot (unillustrated) of a recording/reproducing apparatus. This inserting direction is upward in FIG. 12, downward in FIG. 13 and an illustrated arrow direction (obliquely downward) in FIG. 34A. Referring to FIG. 13, pawl members (not shown) of the recording/reproducing apparatus engage with cavities C1, C2 formed in the vicinities of lower edges of the cartridge C, and the mini disk M is thus carried into the apparatus. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 34A, the cartridge c is provided with a shutter member 90, and a driving member (not shown) of the recording/reproducing apparatus engages with a slit 91a of a side surface 91 of the shutter member 90, whereby the shutter member 90 is slidable in directions t, t' in FIG. 34A. The shutter member 90 moves in the direction t' when in recording/reproducing processes, there is executed writing to or reading from the disk portion D.
Incidentally, when the music and the information are recorded on the mini disk M, it is a general practice that the mini disk M is attached with an index card on which names of recorded songs and recorded contents are written. The index card containing such entries is stored together with the mini disk M. In many cases, however, the mini disk is stored as encased in the storage case, and therefore, if the index card is pasted to the cartridge C, the entry area is rubbed against the storage case or stained when taken in and out, and there might occur a possibility in which the entries become blurred due to a long-term use. Further, when the mini disk M is inserted into the recording/reproducing apparatus, the index card is to be exfoliated from the cartridge C, and there might also a possibility in which the recording/reproducing apparatus is incapable performing its function. Such being the case, the index card is generally attached to the storage case stored with the mini disk M.
As discussed above, the storage case attached with the index card (a label) is disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos.5-278772 and 9-226873. There arise, however, the following problems inherent in the storage cases according to the prior art.
First, the storage case disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.5-278772 takes a sleeve-like shape, and it is therefore difficult that the index card is disposed in a proper position inside thereof. Accordingly, in the sleeve-like storage case, the index card is pasted to the surface of the storage case, and the names of songs and the information are written thereon. When the index card is thus pasted to the surface of the storage case, however, there might similarly occur the possibility wherein the entry area is rubbed and stained. In addition, when selling this type of mini disks, the index card and the label are not yet pasted to the storage case and the mini disk itself, then bent in a :-like shape while covering a bonding surface thereof, and thus set covering the opening of the storage case stored with the mini disk. Further, a wrapping film is wrapped thereon, thereby preventing a separation from the storage case. Hence, if a user who purchased this type of mini disk once tears up the wrapping film, the index card and the label are separated from the storage case and the mini disk. Consequently, as far as the index card and the label are previously pasted thereto, it must be inconvenient for the storage thereof, and it might also be conceived that a possibility of being lost is large.
While on the other hand, in the storage case disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.9-226873, the cover member is so structured as to be rotatable with respect to the main body so that the index card can be encased inside the storage case, and hence the problem described above does not occur. In the above construction according to the prior art, however, the cover member does not open in a state where the mini disk is encased inside the storage case, in which state the index card can not be taken out. When trying to forcibly taking out the index card, the storage case might be damaged. Accordingly, the mini disk must be pulled out each time the index card is taken out of the storage case, which handling is inconvenient.
Further, the cartridge shown in FIG. 34A is, as shown in FIG. 34B, taken in and out of a storage case S. On this occasion, if the cartridge C is inclined in an arrow direction in the Figure, it might happen that a shutter edge portion 92 of the side surface 91 of the shutter member 90 impinges upon the inner surface of the storage case S. In this case, the edge portion 92 is an undercut by machining. Hence, as shown in FIG. 34C, if a burr 92a is formed at the edge portion 92, the inner surface of the storage case, upon which the shutter edge portion 92 impinges, is dented to form a recess s', which is an undesirable aspect.